EB-5 Retrogression Trends: What Indian & Chinese Investors Should Know

Claudia I. Ortega is a seasoned real estate and investment professional with more than 20 years of experience spanning residential and commercial real estate, mortgage lending, investor advisory, and strategic market positioning. Her career has been deeply rooted in guiding sophisticated buyers, sellers, and business owners through complex real estate transactions, capital structuring, and market-driven decision-making across multiple U.S. markets.

As a licensed real estate broker and former mortgage company owner, Ortega has overseen transactions involving residential portfolios, commercial properties, and development-oriented assets, with a strong command of underwriting standards, capital stacks, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation. Her background includes structuring and reviewing conventional, government-backed, and alternative financing solutions, experience that aligns directly with the financial and asset-backed fundamentals of EB-5 investment projects.

Ortega is also recognized for her leadership in public policy advocacy and consumer protection. She has actively participated in congressional meetings in Washington, D.C., lobbying for consumer rights in housing and lending, and working alongside federal agencies, financial institutions, and elected officials to advance responsible homeownership and transparency in real estate finance. This policy-facing experience provides her with a nuanced understanding of regulatory frameworks and investor protections which are critical components of the EB-5 ecosystem.

Ortega has led large-scale public education initiatives and media campaigns, serving as a spokesperson across television, radio, print, and digital platforms. She is known for her ability to translate complex financial and real estate concepts into clear, investor-focused narratives, bridging the gap between technical detail and strategic vision.

Hafiz Uddin is the Managing Attorney of Dewan & Associates, PLLC, based out of Midtown, Manhattan, and has over 25 years of experience representing clients in immigration, business, and real estate matters. A graduate of New York Law School, he holds a B.A. in Economics with a concentration in Finance and pursued graduate studies in International Relations at the City College of New York.

Hafiz has extensive experience in EB-5 immigration matters, having successfully completed his first EB-5 direct investment case in the early 2000s. Since then, he has represented and supervised numerous EB-5 direct and Regional Center-based matters, including complex investor petitions, project-related filings, Requests for Evidence (RFEs), motions, and other challenging adjudications. His practice also encompasses a broad range of investment and business immigration matters, including E-2, L-1, H-1B, EB-1, and other employment-based and family-based visa categories. This breadth of immigration experience enables him to provide strategic guidance to investors, entrepreneurs, executives, and businesses whose immigration objectives often involve multiple visa classifications, complex immigration histories, business operations, and long-term planning considerations.

Drawing on his unique background as an attorney, former real estate broker, and entrepreneur, Hafiz advises investors, developers, and businesses on immigration, investment, corporate, and real estate matters. In addition to his EB-5 practice, his extensive experience in business immigration, commercial transactions, and real estate provides clients with a unique and broader perspective, deeper knowledge base, and practical insight. He is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA).

Calvin Kourosh Azadi, Esquire, is the founder and managing partner of Azadi Law P.A., which was established in 2020. Since its inception, the firm has expanded to incorporate over 12 full-time staff members at its Brickell (Miami) office and more than a dozen remote personnel, mostly located in Colombia. The Azadi Law team includes an associate attorney who previously worked for the Miami Immigration Court, an EB-5 specialist who previously worked for a board-certified immigration attorney, and a senior paralegal who previously worked for one of the biggest immigration law firms in Florida.

In his role, Azadi has effectively managed both direct and indirect EB-5 visa applications, resulting in a 100% success rate since 2016. Calvin has collaborated with some of the most reputable regional centers, many of which recommend him and the firm to their EB-5 investors. Moreover, the firm specializes in employment, ability, and business immigration, focusing on O-1, L-1, E-2, EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 visas, but the firm also handles other immigration matters. His legal career commenced at Mena Law Firm, followed by a clerkship with the Honorable Judge Sarah Zabel at the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida. Azadi further developed expertise in complex litigation while working at Brad Sohn Law and gained additional experience in tax law during his tenure with Dennis Fundora, Esq., all while maintaining a strong focus on immigration law.

He has been recognized in various media outlets, including Mega TV, W Radio, and Voyage MIA. He was also honored on the New York Times “Lawyers of Distinction” list and awarded the Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion (Platinum) Award.

Azadi graduated from the University of Miami School of Law and is a member of the Florida Bar. Calvin is fluent in English, Spanish, and Persian (Farsi) and his team speaks English, Spanish, and Portuguese.